Day 19: January 19th - Robber's Row Golf Course

Sunny, temperature 61 degrees

Robber's Row Golf Course

       The jury is still out regarding the effect of golf courses on our environment.  Do the chemicals used by so many of the courses have an adverse effect on the surrounding area, or are course management strategies  changing....becoming more "green" to the point that they might actually enhance the habitat?  Well, there is no getting around the fact that the local environs are altered to a fairly substantial degree.  I have mixed feelings in that I love nature, I love birding, I love photography, and I also love playing golf.  So, obviously what you are getting here is not exactly an unbiased reflection.
      What I have seen over and over is a great deal of wildlife activity taking place around the courses I've played.  The positive side is the addition of water features, the efforts by many courses to preserve the surround habitat which might otherwise become strip malls, condos, parking lots, and any other of a plethora of other less desirable constructions.  The courses also provide "edges" along which many birds find excellent hunting opportunities.
      A brief anecdote regarding yesterday's outing at Robber's Row Golf Course on Hilton Head Island.  The entire left hand side of one of the Par 3's was a water feature.  The shallow pond extended about 125 yards and was about 30 yards across.  Along the far edge, we observed 5 turtles being ever so slowly stalked by an alligator.  The gator was moving almost imperceptibly towards its quarry while to our amazement a flotilla of 6 Hooded mergansers swam in right next to the gator.  Within a few moments, a Great egret had also joined the group.  We didn't have time to see any outcome (if there indeed was one), but I do know that gators will gladly feed on any unsuspecting turtle not vigilant enough to avoid becoming a meal.  Note the "heads up" posture of the turtles in today's "photo of the day".  I have the feeling that none of these guys was going to satisfy the gator's appetite today.  
      Golf, birding, nature, photography...it doesn't get much better than this.

Turtles and Gator in waiting